Multi-Axis Automatic Shoe Sole Processing Apparatus and Method of the Same

ABSTRACT

A multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus includes a body, a multi-axis mechanical arm, a plasma processing module, and a control module, wherein the multi-axis mechanical arm, the plasma processing module, and the control module are respectively disposed at the body; the multi-axis mechanical arm and the plasma processing module are both electrically connected to the control module, the plasma processing module has a plasma nozzle disposed at the free end of the multi-axis mechanical arm, the control module drives the multi-axis mechanical arm to dislocate the free end according to a shoe data, and drives the plasma processing module to spray plasma from the plasma nozzle for processing the ii surface of a shoe sole with plasma.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a means for processing a surface of shoe sole, and more particularly to a multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus and method of the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typically, a shoe sole structure contains various shoe soles such as insole, midsole, and outsole. While integrating these shoe soles together, or combining the shoe sole structure with an upper in order to form a shoe, glue is usually used for adhesion between the shoe soles or the entire shoe sole structure to the upper.

While gluing surfaces between articles, the adhesion force depends on the surface activity of the articles, the higher the surface activity is, the stronger the adhesion force formed between those surfaces will be. Hence, to strengthen the adhesion force between shoe soles in order to prevent them from falling apart, the surfaces of the shoe soles including the insole, midsole, and outsole will be processed with chemical reagents for breaking the bonding of the surface molecules in order to enhance the surface activities of them.

Utilizing the chemical reagents to treat the surfaces of shoe soles is able to enhance the adhesion force between the shoe soles. However, following cleaning processes for those chemical reagents need to be operated by workers. Those chemical reagents may cause illness of the workers or serious environmental problems. Storage and management of usage of the chemical reagents need to be strictly controlled. The industrial safety is concerned while using the chemical reagents. Thus, a better processing method should be pursued.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve the conventional ways of processing surfaces of shoe soles cause environmental pollution, a more eco-friendly way with less industrial safety concerns to process shoe soles surfaces without chemical reagents needed is provided by the present disclosure. In the present disclosure uses a control module to control a multi-axis mechanical arm that provides plasma and to automatically process the surfaces of shoe soles.

The present invention provides a multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus, including a body, a multi-axis mechanical arm, a plasma processing module and a control module, wherein the multi-axis mechanical arm, the plasma processing module and the control module are respectively disposed at the body; the multi-axis mechanical arm and the plasma processing module are both electrically connected to the control module; the plasma processing module has a plasma nozzle disposed at the free end of the multi-axis mechanical arm; the control module drives the multi-axis mechanical arm to dislocate the free end according to a shoe data, and drives the plasma processing module to spray plasma from the plasma nozzle for processing the surface of a shoe sole with plasma, the shoe data at least comprises an outline size of the shoe sole.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing method which includes: receiving and processing a shoe data, wherein the shoe data is corresponding to a model code and is comprising at least an outline size; planning a surface processing path for processing of a surface of the shoe sole according to the shoe data; and driving the multi-axis mechanical arm to bring a plasma nozzle along the surface processing path for spraying plasma on the surface of the shoe sole.

While practicing the present inventions, at least one model code is established for each of the types of the shoe sole. Each model code is corresponding with an outline size of the shoe sole, and each shoe sole has a shoe data, which at least includes the outline size.

The control module drives the multi-axis mechanical arm to move the plasma nozzle according to the shoe data received and processed by the control module, so as to spray the plasma out from the plasma nozzle for coating the entire surface of the shoe sole and processing the surface of the shoe sole with plasma, thereby enhancing the adhesion of the shoe sole while gluing the shoe sole together with other shoe components.

Because that the surface of the shoe sole can be activated by processing with plasma without using any other kind of chemicals, the activation process of the surface of the shoe sole can be more eco-friendly, and the overall manufacturing process of shoes can be more safe. Besides, the control module controls the operation of the multi-axis mechanical arm by referring to the shoe data of different type of shoes, therefore, while processing different type of shoe soles, the processing path can be rapidly adjusted to apply to different production lines of various types of shoes.

The apparatus of the present invention further includes an outline measurement module. By measuring the shoe sole physically, the type of shoe data to be provided to the control module can be variable, and the precision of the actual shoe data can be significantly enhanced. Therefore, while the control module controls the multi-axis mechanical arm for plasma processing according to the shoe data, the operation can be more fine-tuned, the processing path of the multi-axis mechanical arm can be more precise, and the activation of the surface of each shoe sole can be more efficient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a plasma processing module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a gluing device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a control module and a shoe data provided to the control module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the movement of the multi-axis mechanical arm driven by the control module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a processing path on the surface of a shoe sole according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The structure and technical features of the present invention will now be described in considerable detail with reference to some embodiments and the accompanying drawings thereof, so that the present invention can be easily understood.

Referring to the FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus includes a machine 10, a multi-axis mechanical arm 20, a control module 30, a plasma processing module 40, and an outline measurement module 50. The machine 10 includes a body 11 with a conveyer 12. The conveyer 12 is a linear conveyer and horizontally deposited on the body 11. The conveyer 12 has an entrance end 121 and an exit end 122. A shoe sole A is inputted to the entrance end 121 of the conveyer 12 and outputted from the exit end 122.

The multi-axis mechanical arm 20 is installed at the body 11, and is located at a side close to the exit end 122 of the conveyer 12. The multi-axis mechanical arm 20 includes a free end 21.

The control module 30 is an embedded computer system having functions of receiving various shoes data, processing data, displaying data, transmitting control signal, and receiving control signal feedbacks. The control module 30 is installed at the body 11 and includes a control panel 31 being disposed at one side of the body 11. A display 32 is disposed on the control panel 31. The multi-axis mechanical arm 20 is electrically connected to the control module 30. The control module 30 receives and processes the shoe data to generate a processing path on a surface of the shoe sole A, and controls the free end 21 of the multi-axis mechanical arm 20 being moved along that processing path. Aforementioned shoe data includes an outline size of the shoe sole A.

The plasma processing module 40 is able to generate plasma. The plasma processing module 40 has a feeding device 41 being disposed at the body 11. The feeding device 41 is connected to a tube 42. The tube 42 is connected to a plasma nozzle 43. The plasma nozzle 43 is installed at the free end 21 of the multi-axis mechanical arm 20, and able to spray plasma downwardly when the feeding device 41 provides gas and electric power toward the plasma nozzle 43 via the tube 42. The feeding device 41 of the plasma processing module 40 is electrically connected with the control module 30, so that the control module 30 is able to control the plasma nozzle 43 to spray plasma and also controls output intensity of the spray plasma.

The outline measurement module 50 is disposed at the body 11 and located above a side of the conveyer 12 close to the entrance end 121. The outline measurement module 50 includes an image capturing unit 51 and a height measurement unit 52. Preferred embodiments of aforementioned image capturing unit 51 and the height measurement unit 52 may be a CCD camera and a laser rangefinder. The image capturing unit 51 captures images of the shoe sole A being transferred along the conveyer 12 and obtains an auxiliary outline size of the shoe sole A through a image recognition (not shown in figures). The height measurement unit 52 measures the height differences between different portions of the shoe sole A being transferred along the conveyer 12. The measured portions of the shoe sole A include the middle portion and the peripheral welt surrounding the periphery of the shoe sole A. While the height differences have been obtained, the auxiliary outline size and the height differences can all be gathered to be included in the aforesaid shoe data, and that these shoe data can then be received and processed by the control module 30.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention mentioned above, a gluing device 60 may be further disposed at the body 11. The gluing device 60 is electrically connected with and controlled by the control module 30. The gluing device 60 is disposed beside the conveyer 12 and located closer to the exit end 122 than the multi-axis mechanical arm 20. The gluing device 60 includes a mechanical arm 61, a gluing component 62 and a glue material-activating component 63, wherein the gluing component 62 and the glue material-activating component 63 are combined with the mechanical arm 61. The glue material-activating component 63 may be a heater or a plasma-processing module. The gluing component 62 is being moved toward the shoe sole A that is being transferred on the conveyer 12 for gluing by the mechanical arm 61. The glue glued on the shoe sole A is then being activated by the glue material-activating component 62.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outline measurement module 50 is not limited to be disposed on the body 11, but may also be installed at the free end 21 on the multi-axis mechanical arm 20 in order to be movable. Furthermore, the gluing component 62 and the glue material-activating component 63 of the gluing device 60 is able to be disposed on the body 11 by combined with the mechanical arm 61, or by installed at the free end 21 on the multi-axis mechanical arm 20, in which the surface of the shoe sole A is still able to be glued and activated by either ways.

Furthermore, while practicing the preferred embodiment, if the shoe data are precise enough, the processing path generated by the control module 30 according to the shoe data will be sufficient for processing the surface of the shoe sole A. The process of measuring additional outline sizes and heights by the outline measurement module 50 may not be needed. Processing the surface of the shoe sole A can solely be completed by controlling the multi-axis mechanical arm 20 to be operated along the processing path which is generated by the control module 30 according to the shoe data received and processed initially.

As referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, while practicing the preferred embodiment of the multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus, the shoe sole A to be processed with plasma is sent to the conveyer 12 from the entrance end 12, and then a multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing method will be performed. Referring to FIG. 4, preferring processing steps of present invention are as stated followings.

A. Receiving and processing the shoe data: referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, different types of shoe soles A have different outline sizes. At least one model code is established for each type of the shoe sole A. Each model code is corresponded to an outline size 101 of the shoe sole A, and each shoe sole A has a shoe data 100. The shoe data includes the outline size 101 and the control module 30 receiving and processing the outline size 101 of the shoe data 100.

B. Optimizing the shoe data: referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, the outline measurement module 50 captures the image of the shoe sole A by the image capturing unit 51 and processes image recognition, thereby obtaining an auxiliary outline size 102 of the shoe sole A. The height measurement unit 52, like aforementioned laser rangefinder, of the outline measurement module 50 scans and measures the height difference between the middle portion and peripheral welt of the shoe sole A (the surface of the peripheral welt is an inclined surface). By doing so, an interrelation of height 103 of the portions of the shoe sole A may be obtained. The shoe data 100 is able to be optimized by physically measuring the shoe sole A to have the auxiliary outline size 102 and the interrelation of height 103. The control module 30 receives and processes the auxiliary outline size 102 and the interrelation of height 103 of shoe data 100. The abovementioned step of optimizing the shoe data means that the image capturing unit 51 recognizes a physical position of the shoe sole A on the conveyer 12 to generate the auxiliary outline size 102. The control module 30 further adjusts an initial position of the multi-axis mechanical arm 20 according to the auxiliary out line size 102.

C. Planning the surface processing path: referring to FIG. 5 to FIG. 7, after reading the shoe data 100 by the control module 30, the control module 30 will then start to process and generate a surface processing path B on the surface of the shoe sole A. The surface processing path B starts from circling around the periphery of the shoe sole A, and then twists and turns from one end of the shoe sole A to the other end, and ends there.

D. Processing the surface with plasma: referring to FIG. 5 to FIG. 7, the multi-axis mechanical arm 20 is controlled by the control module 30 to be moved along the surface processing path B. The plasma nozzle 43 is able to be brought along the surface processing path B by moving the free end 21 of the multi-axis mechanical arm 20. Meanwhile, the plasma nozzle 43 is also driven by the control module 30 to spray plasma, so that the plasma can be sprayed along the surface processing path B and be end-up fully coating the entire surface of the shoe sole A. Additionally, if the peripheral welt surrounding the shoe sole part A is also needed to be coated with plasma by the plasma nozzle 43, the operation angle of the plasma nozzle 43 may be further adjusted by operating the multi-axis mechanical arm 20, so as to spray plasma at an angle to the inclined surface of the peripheral welt. By applying surface plasma processing to the surface of the shoe sole A, the surface of the shoe sole A is able to be activated and enhanced the adhesion strength with glue.

The gluing device 60 executes following step after the surface plasma processing set forth above:

E. Gluing the surface of the shoe sole A: referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, the control module 30 drives the mechanical arm 61 to bring the gluing component 62 to glue the surface of the shoe sole A, which is previously coated with plasma. Then, the glue glued on the surface of the shoe sole A will be activated by the glue material-activating component 63, that is, the aforementioned heater or plasma-processing module.

As shown in FIG. 1, after executing the multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing method, the processed shoe sole A will be exiting the exit end 122 of the conveyer 12, and the process of processing the surface of the shoe sole A with plasma is then completed.

Moreover, in addition to the step of reading shoe data of the aforesaid method, if the data related to the sizes or the outline of the shoe sole A such as the auxiliary outline size 102 and the interrelation of height 103 were measured in advance, and were selectively incorporated as a part of the shoe data 100, the optimization step (step B) can be omitted. The surface processing path B for surface plasma processing can be generated by simply reading that shoe data 100, in which the control module 30 controls the multi-axis mechanical arm 20 and the plasma processing module 40 to operate along the surface processing path B.

If the outline measurement module 50 and the gluing component 62 and the glue material-activating component 63 of the gluing device 60 of the aforementioned multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus are installed at the free end 21 of the multi-axis mechanical arm 20 instead, the control module 30 drives the multi-axis mechanical arm 20 to guide the outline measurement module 50 to measure the shoe sole A. The multi-axis mechanical arm 20 then respectively guides the gluing component 62 and the glue material-activating component 63 to perform gluing and glue material activating process, thereby completing performing the steps of the multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing method. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus comprising a body, a multi-axis mechanical arm, a plasma processing module, and a control module, wherein the multi-axis mechanical arm, a plasma processing module, and a control module are respectively disposed at the body; the multi-axis mechanical arm and the plasma processing module are both electrically connected to the control module; the plasma processing module comprises a plasma nozzle being disposed at the free end of the multi-axis mechanical arm; and the control module drives the multi-axis mechanical arm to dislocate the free end according to a shoe data, and drives the plasma processing module to spray plasma from the plasma nozzle for processing the surface of a shoe sole with plasma.
 2. The multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shoe data comprises an outline size of the shoe sole.
 3. The multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shoe data comprises an auxiliary outline size; and an outline measurement module is disposed at the body for measuring the shoe sole in order to obtain the auxiliary outline size.
 4. The multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the outline measurement module comprises a height measurement unit for measuring the portions of the shoe sole in order to obtain an interrelation of height; and the control module controls the intensity of the spray of plasma ejected from the plasma nozzle, the plasma nozzle is dislocated with the multi-axis mechanical arm based on the shoe data which comprises the interrelation of height, the outline size, or the auxiliary outline size.
 5. The multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control module receives and processes the shoe data to generates a surface processing path to control the multi-axis mechanical arm for dislocating the plasma nozzle, so as to eject plasma along the surface processing path from the plasma nozzle in order to control the location coated with plasma.
 6. The multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the height measurement unit is a laser rangefinder, the interrelation of height is measured and obtained by scanning the shoe sole using the laser rangefinder.
 7. The multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the laser rangefinder is installed at the free end of the multi-axis mechanical arm.
 8. The multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body has a gluing device electrically connected to the control module, the gluing device glues the surface of the shoe sole after the shoe sole has been processed with plasma.
 9. The multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the gluing device is installed at the free end of the multi-axis mechanical arm.
 10. The multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the gluing device comprises a gluing component and a glue material-activating component, the gluing component glues the surface of the shoe sole, and the glue material-activating component activates the glue glued on the surface of the shoe sole.
 11. The multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the body has a conveyer having an entrance at an end and an exit opposing the entrance at the other end, the multi-axis mechanical arm is located close to a side of the conveyer close to the exit, and the outline measurement module is located above a side of the conveyer close to the entrance.
 12. A multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing method comprises steps of: receiving and processing a shoe data, wherein the shoe data is corresponding to a model code and is comprising at least an outline size; planning the surface processing path for processing of the surface of the shoe sole based on the shoe data; and driving a multi-axis mechanical arm to bring a plasma nozzle along the surface processing path for spraying plasma on the surface of the shoe sole.
 13. The multi-axis automatic shoe sole processing method according to claim 12, before the step of planning the surface processing path, further comprising a step of optimizing the shoe data, wherein the shoe sole to be processed will be measured to fill in the shoe data in order to proceed on the step of planning the surface processing path. 